Re Panic Room – they were just an example though I specifically mentioned them – you could easily replace them by Mostly Autumn, The Reasoning and a host of others. Bands most of us on here seem to love. Maybe the best reply to the question you raised came from Baldyslaphead (great name!)

“I would be slightly wary of someone that posted exclusively positive reviews, it smacks of either moonie-ism or a lack of critical faculties” – I’m not sure if you replied to Baldyslaphead – though obviously you can’t reply to everyone all the time. Though I think everyone seemed to agree it was your blog you decide.

I believe you have been very brave by finally coming out in the open and admitting to being a “fanboy”!!

My two favs for 2103 were those by Mr Wilson (Raven) and Big Big Train (Full Power). Good luck to you and your blog in 2014!

That is my attempt to explain (or at least start to explain) why I consider this to be the best album of the year. Of course, there is still plenty of room for subjectivity, but it at least starts to place my reasoning within the music itself. I think that this is a more positive approach than asking what someone has to do to get a negative review. Although it does hint in that direction by explaining what I find so lacking in so much contemporary music – where rhythm has been allowed to not just dominate, but obliterate all else.